Conversations between Fausticorn and Princess Celestia
by Nova Force
Summary: What happens when the co-ruler of Equestria does not have all the answers? To whom does she turn? Find out what transpires when Princess Celestia seeks a higher power to answer her questions, and how Princess Luna takes a turn for the worst.
1. Chapter 1

Conversations between Fausticorn and Princess Celestia

By Nova Force

Chapter 1

In the land of Equestria, Canterlot was the shining capital city on a mountainside. Within the city was the Royal Castle, complete with ivory towers with golden spires. This castle was where the co-rulers of Equestria dwelt: the Princesses Celestia and Luna. Aside from their regal pedigree, these two princesses were indeed rare ponies, for they were each a Pegasus-Unicorn. Most ponies were either one or the other (or sometimes Earth ponies), but never both. This meant they possessed both the gifts of flight and magic through the use of their wings and horns. Pegasus-Unicorns were indeed a part of an exclusive club.

On this particular day, Princess Celestia was sitting at her throne awaiting a visit from her loyal and most faithful student, the unicorn Twilight Sparkle. She had written to the princess requesting an audience with her. Under normal circumstances Celestia would refuse, but she had a soft spot for Twilight. At the end of the throne room, the entrance doors opened and a little purple unicorn trotted through.

"Princess Celestia! I'm so happy to see you!" Twilight said.

The princess smiled upon seeing her star pupil. "Yes, it's good to see you too, Twilight Sparkle. I hope your journey from Ponyville was met with ease."

Twilight made her way to the front steps of the throne. "No problems this time."

Celestia rose from her chair and stepped down to meet Twilight. The two ponies hugged before Celestia gestured for them to walk over outside to one of the nearby balconies. "I received your letter asking to meet with me. What is it that I may help you with today?"

Once outside on the balcony, Twilight took a moment to absorb the magnificent view of Equestria. "Princess Celestia," she began, "I've been studying friendship in Ponyville. I've learned so much, but I'm afraid I'm neglecting my other studies. With all the adventures I go through almost daily, I just don't have the kind of time like I used to have when I was here in Canterlot."

Celestia tilted her head. "I knew when I sent you to Ponyville that your other studies would not make as much progress."

Twilight looked up at her with regret. "That's just it though. I haven't made _any_ progress on my other studies!" When she finished her sentence, Twilight hung her head in shame.

Never one to enjoy seeing her student distraught, Celestia lowered her head to meet Twilight's eyelevel. "It's alright, Twilight Sparkle. Learning to prioritize takes some ponies a lifetime to master. The good news is that you're not one of those. In time you will learn how to balance your time to accommodate your needs."

Twilight lifted her head back to its normal position. Reassurance from the princess was worth its weight in gold. "Thank you, princess." She then bit her lower lip as if she were holding back something else on her mind. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

Celestia nodded. "Of course you can. What is it you would like to know?"

"Where did everything come from?"

The princess raised her eyebrow at such a blunt, yet profound question. Instead of giving Twilight an answer, she simply stood still while her tail and mane flowed naturally in motion. "What do you mean by 'everything'?" she said.

Twilight sat down and stretched out her arms as she spoke. "I mean _everything_. Equestria, the stars, all the ponies in the world," she hesitated before she locked eyes with the princess. "But more importantly, _you_."

Confusion washed over Celestia's face. "Me?"

Having not received a direct refusal to answer her questions, Twilight spoke faster. "Yes! In all of my Equestrian history books there are references to you, but none of them give any satisfying answers as to where _you_ came from and how you got here." The tone in Twilight's voice turned frantic. "But that's not all! Why do bad things happen to good ponies? Why are we here? What's the point of it all?"

Celestia stamped her front hooves like a judge pounding a gavel to attain order in the court. Twilight immediately fell silent as her mentor spoke calmly. "I appreciate your curiosity, my faithful student. Unfortunately, I'm not able to answer these questions for you at this time."

Twilight did not even try to hide her disappointment. "Why not?"

The princess remained poised in her answer. "A lot of what you're asking me cannot be answered so easily. I'm terribly sorry. I know that's a very unsatisfying answer, but it is the truth." Before she became too apologetic, Princess Celestia harkened back to an earlier letter from Twilight. "I do recall receiving a letter from you detailing how you're willing to believe in what you don't fully understand. I believe your friend Pinkie Pie and her 'Pinkie Sense' taught you that."

There was no way Twilight would ever forget that whole "Pinkie Sense" episode. Her frustration drove her literally to burst into flames. "Yes, I remember, but I think that there is a difference between your origins and the 'Pinkie Sense'. One is a skill, or a talent, or _whatever_, and the other is history. Surely there exists some documentation of your birth. I would think being the co-ruler of Equestria automatically makes you a historical figure."

Princess Celestia laughed. "You are indeed a wonder, Twilight Sparkle. I admire your determination. I'll tell you what. Please return to Ponyville and continue studying the magic of friendship." She paused as her attitude shifted in seriousness. "I need to talk with somepony."

Twilight could sense the gravitas in Celestia's voice. "Who?"

"That's not your concern. But we can talk more about this when I return. I promise this will be worth the wait."

"Alright, princess, if you say so." Twilight knew when to challenge Celestia. This was not one of those times.

Twilight left the castle grounds and returned to her hot-air balloon that she used for traveling in Equestria. When Princess Celestia knew that her faithful student was completely removed from the Canterlot vicinity, she made her way to her personal chamber. Two royal guards stood sentinel outside of the entrance. Celestia greeted them as she always did, but she added a request. "Please make sure no pony under any circumstance enters through this door."

The guards spoke in unison, "Yes, your highness."

When Celestia entered her room, she made sure the door was closed tightly. For what she was about to do, no pony could bear witness. She closed her eyes and entered into a deep concentration. At first nothing happened, but Celestia's horn began to give off a golden glow. She extended her wings to give her body balance because she was performing the kind of powerful magic that mere unicorns were incapable of doing. The room began to shake with a force growing stronger by the second. The guards on the outside, however, remained unmoved in their positions. Orders were orders.

Suddenly a bright light ripped open in front of Celestia and formed into a large circle. When the portal appeared, the quaking stopped. She took a deep breath before entering into a realm outside of Equestria.

When she stepped over onto the other side, she turned around and used her magic to close the portal. _I want no pony following me_. Once the portal was gone, she turned around and marched forward. The environment around her was something of a dimensional limbo. Even though there was no solid ground beneath her hooves, she was able to walk casually as if there was. Her wings remained tucked in by her sides.

After walking for some time, the princess stopped and closed her eyes. Once again, she entered went into a meditative state, but this time her horn did not glow with magic. Instead, she focused her mental energy. _Please, I need to speak with you_. When she opened her eyes, she finally encountered the one for whom she sought.

"Welcome, my little pony," said Fausticorn.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

There was nothing overly remarkable about her appearance. Fausticorn had a pure, white body with a long, crimson mane and tail. She had a wingspan and horn that matched Celestia's in length. On her flank she bore a Cutie Mark of a quill dipping into a small bottle of ink. Like Celestia, Fausticorn was also a Pegasus-Unicorn. Unlike Celestia, however, Fausticorn was in a league of her own, for she was The Divine Pegasus-Unicorn. Knowledge of her existence was virtually absent.

When seeing the princess, Fausticorn smiled. "I'm happy to see you again, Celestia."

What happened next was a sight that no pony in Equestrian history had ever seen: Princess Celestia genuflected. "The pleasure is mine."

Fausticorn stood and watched as her first creation paid her respects. When Celestia rose to her hooves, Fausticorn slowly approached her. "I don't normally get to see you. Is everything alright?"

Celestia made a grim face. "Sadly, no. The balance of harmony remains intact in Equestria, but I come to you now with a personal matter."

Fausticorn tilted her head. "A personal matter?"

Celestia nodded in silence.

"Well, if that's the case," Fausticorn began, "then let's go somewhere more _personable_." The Divine Unicorn-Pegasus closed her eyes and held her head high. In seconds, her horn illuminated with a golden light that dwarfed Celestia's. The entire dimensional limbo surrounding them wiped away, leaving for a brief moment total darkness. Only Fausticorn's glowing horn shone any light.

Slowly from underneath her hooves, Celestia began to feel what could only be grass. The air around her started to thicken with each passing moment. Natural light was appearing, yet with it came small patches of shade blanketing the surrounding area. Not far from where she was standing, Celestia noticed a series of trees quickly sprouting from the ground. Eventually Fausticorn's magic subsided, and she opened her eyes. "There. That's better."

One quick scan of the area showed that Fausticorn created a forest. Unlike the forests in Equestria, this one had trees with leaves that subtly radiated an aquamarine glow. In the middle of the forest where the two ponies stood was one seemingly endless trail of openness. Fausticorn turned to Celestia and motioned toward the trail. "Shall we go for a walk?"

The two Pegasus-Unicorns began trotting down the track. Even though Celestia had entered into a cosmic dimension, the forest area she now found herself in could have easily been mistaken for an Equestrian forest. To be able to create such an environment so familiar to home was a testament to Fausticorn's magic.

"Please tell me what's been bothering you," Fausticorn said.

"It's one of my students," Celestia said.

"Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yes. She's recently visited me. I normally love seeing her because she reminds me so much of myself when I was her age." Celestia smiled upon thinking back to her own youth. She then continued. "In time, I sincerely believe all of Equestria will witness how powerful Twilight will become."

Fausticorn could not help be detect a hint of anxiety creeping into Celestia's voice. "Do you fear her power?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, because I've been watching over her since I sent her to Ponyville. Time and time again she's proven her heart to be pure. Whenever Equestria has been threatened by the looming sword of hatred and anarchy, she has led her friends to overcome these dangers. Even in the face of sheer adversity, Twilight has acted alone based on what her heart has told her, and she has always turned out to be on the right side. I honestly could not ask for a better student."

A few moments passed before Fausticorn pressed further. "So what has happened in her most recent visit with you that has caused you to seek _my_ counsel?"

Dread suddenly appeared in Celestia's demeanor. She lowered her head as if she were ashamed. "She has asked me about my origin."

Fausticorn immediately recognized the implications of telling such a tale. "Of course, I understand."

"But that's not all. Twilight's curiosity is as big as her heart, so she has also asked me why bad things happen to good ponies, and basically the meaning of life."

"The answers to these questions are not meant for mortal ponies, you know that Celestia," Fausticorn said.

The princess nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know. But I'm concerned with what will happen if I don't give her a satisfactory answer. There have been plenty of ponies over the years who have asked about my origin. I've simply told them that Luna and I have been around for so long that it doesn't matter anymore." The princess gazed down the endless trail with a mile-long stare. "But Twilight is different. She has an appetite for knowledge unlike that of anything I've seen in a pony."

Fausticorn tried to offer a hopeful response. "Knowledge is one of the most precious resources we have."

"I agree, but I'm fearful her quest for the truth will eventually turn her curiosity into madness. So many good ponies have allowed their frustrations to consume them. I never want this to happen to my faithful student. The light Twilight brings to the world shines so brightly that if it were to ever fade away, then Equestria will have lost one of its greatest heroes."

Fausticorn stopped in her tracks. "I understand your concern, Celestia. I know of Twilight Sparkle's magic capabilities. She does indeed have a true heart and will grow up to become a great pony. I encourage you to have faith in her friends. Those ponies from Ponyville share an exceptional bond with her. They are able to wield The Elements of Harmony, after all. I'm confident that they won't allow Twilight's curiosity get the better of her."

Confidence gradually returned to Celestia as she thought over Fausticorn's words. "Yes, Twilight's friends are indeed special. I've grown quite fond of them. But what am I to do about telling Twilight where I came from?"

A gust of wind blew through the air, causing the manes and tails of both Pegasus-Unicorns to flow momentarily out of control. When the air settled, Fausticorn spoke. "Well, as you well know, _I'm_ the one who created Equestria. The mountains, the rivers, and the stars above all were designed by me." Fausticorn paused as she looked into Celestia's eyes. She wanted to see if Celestia could anticipate what she was about to say next. "And, yes, so were you. To put it simply, you came from me."

While most ponies would have found this information to be a revelation, Celestia was not fazed in the slightest. Instead, she wanted to make a clarification. "I know, but you're also _not_ my mother?"

Technicalities were never a source of fun for Fausticorn. "Well, yes and no. In a way, I like to think of myself as the mother of all ponies."

"But how can I make Twilight understand this without telling her about your existence?"

"The short answer is that you can't. I designed Equestria in a way that only you and Luna would be considered by all to be the co-rulers. My existence must remain hidden. There are pieces of information about pony-life that will never be known. Trust me when I said that begin able to accept the unknown is one of the hardest lessons in life. But everything is okay! Part of what it means to be alive is not knowing all of the answers. If I wanted the ponies to know everything about everything, then I could have made them machines instead."

Many questions began brewing in Celestia's head. Unfortunately, before she could continue, an unexpected voice came from behind the two. "Excuse me, but may I join this conversation?"

Fausticorn and Celestia wheeled around and faced the direction they started from on the trail. Celestia's eyes widened with surprise, while Fausticorn let out a gentle laugh before answering the question.

"Of course you can, Luna. Please do."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Princess Luna's appearance embodied the beauty and ethereality of the night. Many ponies admired her indigo-colored body, for there was no other like it. Ponies could see the night sky with its twinkling stars as they looked upon her partially translucent mane and tail. Even as she stood motionless, her hair rippled naturally. In keeping with her name, Luna's Cutie Mark was a crescent moon with dark blots of blue around it.

Luna's arrival was not something Celestia planned for in her meeting with Fausticorn. In her effort to save face, Celestia tried to hold her composure. "Hello, Luna. This is certainly a surprise. I'm curious, how did you get here?"

Her older sister's apparent displeasure did not affect Luna. Instead, she leisurely walked forward. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe this realm can be accessed by Pegasus-Unicorns," she said.

Fausticorn turned to Celestia, "She's correct, although I would add that it can _only_ be accessed by Pegasus-Unicorns."

Celestia said nothing. Her hopes of having a private conversation were now dashed. One of the unfortunate parts of being a princess was being conditioned to getting your way. By no means was Celestia spoiled, not even in the slightest, but usually whatever she decreed was made so. In this dimension of Fausticorn's, however, the rules were different. Being here meant being just another pony.

The three Pegasus-Unicorns stood in the trail forming a triangle. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but Celestia noticed there was something off about Luna. Her little sister didn't seem to be showing any reverence to Fausticorn even though Luna knew full well who The Divine Pegasus-Unicorn was and the role she played in the creation of Equestria. While Celestia tried to sort the situation out in her head, Fausticorn addressed Luna, "Is there anything you would like to talk about?"

Luna cocked an eyebrow as smugness resonated in her voice. "From what I gather, you two have been talking about the unicorn Twilight Sparkle, yes?"

This question only furthered the confusion in Celestia's head. The only way Luna could have known that she and Fausticorn were talking about Twilight is if she had been eavesdropping on them for some time. Inside Celestia shuddered at the thought of Luna spying on her. "Yes, we have," she said.

Luna's expression darkened. Her stare alone could have instilled fear in even the toughest of ponies. "Is it just me, or does everything these days center around Twilight Sparkle? Never have I ever seen you so devoted to a single pony." If Celestia didn't know better, she could have sworn Luna was sneering at her. Luna continued, "What is so special about her anyway?"

Such an incredible question floored Celestia. She made her eyes squint as she tried to read Luna's expression. The words her little sister spoke were unusually bitter. "Luna! It was Twilight who was your sole advocate at the last Nightmare Night in Ponyville. Everypony fled from you because you frightened them."

Rather than thinking fondly about how Twilight championed her rehabilitation back into society, Luna appeared to get more agitated. "Yes, I remember that night. There she was, ready to save the day once again. Hooray for pitiful me, indeed."

Luna's sarcasm was too much for Celestia's patience. She now could see that her sister's attitude was not conducive for having a productive conversation. "Luna, I don't know what's gotten into you. Whatever it is, we can work this out. But for right now, I'm here to have a private conversation. So, if you do not mind, please return home."

Even the most socially inept ponies could see that Celestia's request went over like a lead balloon. For her part, Fausticorn slowly backed away creating some distance between her and the two sisters. Their conflict was not one in which she saw herself interfering.

Standing firmly in place, Luna's body language resembled that of an impenetrable wall. "I'm not going anywhere, Celestia. As a Pegasus-Unicorn, I have every right to be in this dimension with you two. Also, as your sister I am to be concerned with whatever personal 'problem' you may have," she said.

There was no way to prove it, but Celestia could feel a screaming insincerity in Luna's words. While her behavior was abnormal, by no means was it new. Deep down Celestia could feel a creeping suspicion about what was happening to Luna. Getting desperate, Celestia made one more attempt at reasoning with her. "Dear sister, I will ask you one more time. Please allow me some time alone so that I may return to Equestria."

"Are you in a hurry to return to your precious Twilight Sparkle?"

Celestia noticed Luna kept bringing the topic back to Twilight. "Why are you upset with my faithful student?"

"Because she's _your_ faithful student!"

Of all the possible answers Celestia considered, this one left her mind completely blank. "What?"

This response only made Luna become full-fledged angry. "Don't give me that '_what_' nonsense! We all know you don't deserve Twilight Sparkle as your pupil. Every time she does a good deed, to whom does she write? Who is it that she obsessively wants to please?"

Celestia had been constantly trying to interpret her sister's behavior to make sense of her motives. At this point in their conversation, she now could only reach one conclusion. "Luna, are you _jealous_?"

There was a long pause. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Luna knew Celestia was spot on. Feeling as if she could no longer hold back, Luna unleashed herself. "And why shouldn't I be? The ponies of Equestria still fall asleep under my beautiful night skies! While you rule over the day, ponies all over are rejoicing in friendship and love. It's not fair! I work just as hard as you do to ensure that Equestria has what it needs, but where's my faithful student eager to win my approval? I'll tell you – there are none!"

The sensation of déjà vu was almost too much for Celestia to stand. Luna was reliving the exact same bitterness from 1,000 years ago that once consumed and morphed her into the nefarious Nightmare Moon. Celestia tried to remain calm. "Sister, didn't we already go through this before? Why are you behaving this way?" During her questioning Celestia could not help but notice Fausticorn showing no sense of alarm.

"This could have been avoided, dear sister," Luna paused as she gave Celestia one final piercing look, "if you weren't so selfish." A black mist began radiating from Luna. Her pupils faded away as her eyes glowed a blinding white. Before Celestia or Fausticorn could react, the mist enveloped Luna's whole body. Billows of black smoke quickly flooded the forest, creating very low visibility. Losing her sense of direction, Celestia did her best not to trip over herself as she tried to flee from the smoke. If it were not for the fear of crashing into a tree branch, Celestia would have flown away from the scene.

After a few passing moments, Fausticorn finally took action. All she did, however, was raise her horn into the air and perform a clearing spell. It did not take long for the black smoke to be lifted away, but once it did, a painful sadness came over Celestia.

Right before her own eyes, she witnessed her little sister of the night transform into the wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Whereas Princess Luna embodied all the wonders of the night, Nightmare Moon personified the fiendish elements of it. Standing taller than her princess form, Nightmare Moon held herself with a cold posture. Her mane and tail retained their midnight starriness, but now they resembled mist rather than actual hair. Upon her head was a sleek, cerulean helmet of sorts, complete with a matching necklace-style sash and hoof guards. Everything from her pitch-black colored body to her vengeful eyes announced nothing but her desire to inflict malice upon all she came across.

With a smirk on her face, Nightmare Moon sauntered toward Celestia and Fausticorn. "Well now, how long has it been since the three of _us_ have been together, hmm?"

"Not long enough," said Fausticorn.

Nightmare Moon frowned and faked a pouting voice. "Oh Fausticorn, don't say that. You'll hurt my feelings."

The incredulity of the situation was too much for Celestia. One moment she was alone with the Divine Pegasus-Unicorn responsible for all things pony, the next she witnessed once again the self-destruction of her little sister. On top of it all, Nightmare Moon should have been trembling in the presence of Fausticorn, for she created the Elements of Harmony. If she wanted to, she could do away with Nightmare Moon in an instant! And yet, for some reason, the wicked mare showed no signs of worry.

"You know what?" Nightmare Moon directed her attention toward Fausticorn. "You seem to be the only one here capable of being a nuisance to me. Why don't we change that? I know in this dimension you have supreme reign," Nightmare Moon's body began dissolving into its mist form, leaving her final words into an echo, "but not for much longer."

Confusion was quickly turning into horror for Celestia. _How in the world can she be in a position to make threats to _her?

The dark mist breezed past Celestia over to Fausticorn. A chilling sensation raced through Celestia's spine as she felt the wake of the icy mist. The Divine Pegasus-Unicorn started to backtrack, but it was an empty gesture. The mist swarmed around her, leaving her nowhere to run. In her efforts to resist Nightmare Moon's attack, Fausticorn's horn lit up. Whatever clearing spell she tried to perform, however, was not enough. Before Celestia could even think about intervening, all at once, the mist began enveloping Fausticorn's body. In the final moments before she was completely shrouded, Fausticorn made eye contact with Celestia. The fear in her expression was unmistakable, but when she looked at Celestia her eyes conveyed an unknown resolve, as if they carried a message.

_Be strong, my little pony._

And then she was gone. When the mist cleared, there was no trace left of Fausticorn.

Celestia began having an out-of-body experience. Nothing made sense. As a consequence of getting rid of Fausticorn, the forest environment she had created started to collapse onto itself. The trees were dissolving into nothingness and the light from the sky blackened. The soil underneath Celestia's hooves fell from under her, yet she remained in place. All the commotion around her caused her to feel dizzy, and soon enough Celestia fainted.

One of the side-effects of losing consciousness was losing the sense of time. When Celestia eventually came to her senses, she could not even begin to estimate how long she had been comatose. Regaining consciousness was a disorienting process to say the least. When she stood up, Celestia could see that she was in the middle of the same space-limbo that she entered when she first came to speak with Fausticorn. Before she could walk, Celestia felt a familiar cold shiver through her body. The dark mist appeared before her, and Nightmare Moon rematerialized.

Having disposed of the Divine Pegasus-Unicorn, Nightmare Moon carried an attitude of arrogant invincibility. "Nice to see that you're finally awake, dear sister."

Being called a "sister" to Nightmare Moon was as insulting as it was disgusting. This little comment helped Celestia's senses jumpstart back to normal. "You are _no_ sister of mine," she said.

"Didn't you say you were looking to have a _private_ conversation? Well, I believe I have delivered it to you. I like this arrangement of just the two of us much better."

Hearing the phrase "the two of us" made the image of Fausticorn flash through Celestia's mind. Now the princess was fully alert. "What have you done to her?!"

An outburst of anger from Celestia was something almost no pony had ever seen, and those that did would feel a lingering sadness for days; no pony wishes their princess to be unhappy. Nightmare Moon, however, seemed to delight in it. "Now, now, Celestia. You don't need to make this harder than it has to be. If you miss Fausticorn so much, then I promise that I can make you join her where she is."

After a few moments of running on high emotion, Celestia knew that it was time to remember who she was: the princess and co-ruler of Equestria. In times of trauma and confusion, true leadership is needed. She could not afford to allow herself to get wrapped up in the sudden loss of Fausticorn. She took a deep breath and stared deep into the eyes of her former sister. "Tell me what is it that you want."

Nightmare Moon's mouth twisted into a gleeful grin. "Gladly. There's the matter of your precious unicorn, Twilight Sparkle."

Uneasiness would grow inside of Celestia whenever the topic shifted to Twilight. "What do you want with her?"

"The last time I saw Twilight Sparkle, she showed me how great her power is. For such a young pony, she's really quite remarkable," Nightmare Moon said.

Despite how bleak and dire the situation was for Celestia, thinking about her faithful student brought a brief respite of joy. Even when she wasn't anywhere nearby, Twilight could bring a smile to Celestia's face. "Yes, she's one of the most gifted ponies I've ever known."

That smile instantly vanished once Nightmare Moon spoke again. "In order for me to bring out the eternal night sky in Equestria, I could use somepony like her by my side."

After what happened to Fausticorn, there was no way Celestia was going to allow Nightmare Moon to lay another hoof on anypony. "I'll never let you get anywhere near Twilight!"

The resolution in Celestia's voice did not make the wicked mare even flinch. "Oh, come now, Celestia. What are you going to do? Didn't you see how I made such short work of Fausticorn? So much for being a 'divine' pony. What makes you think you can stop me if even _she_ could not?"

Celestia had no comeback. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew Nightmare Moon was right. However great her own power was, it now paled in comparison to Nightmare Moon's. She just stood there in the emptiness of the dimensional infinity. "I- I don't know."

Nightmare Moon jumped on Celestia's final words, "Now that's what I like to hear!" She extended her razor-like wings out and struck an imposing stance. "So, here's what I want to happen. I want you to return to Canterlot and summon Twilight back to the castle. When she arrives, that's when I'll make her mine. Oh, and don't even think about getting Twilight's pesky friends involved. If there's even a hint of them in the area, then you can permanently say goodbye to Fausticorn, and all that you hold dear. Any questions?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Hey, Twilight! Welcome back!" Spike said as he ran down the stairs from his room.

Twilight had returned to her home; a great, hollowed-out tree known as Golden Oaks Library. This building doubled as the Ponyville library and the home of Twilight and Spike. The library divided into three levels: the ground floor was the main reading area, the upper-level was Twilight's and Spike's personal quarters, and the basement was where Twilight would perform her experiments.

Having Twilight gone for so long made the library awfully lonely for Spike. When she told him that morning that she was going to Canterlot, he mentally prepared himself for a long and quiet day at the house. To his surprise and delight, she returned much earlier than he anticipated, which meant her visit probably did not go as planned.

Spike met Twilight in the middle of the ground floor. "How did it go with the princess? Did she answer your questions?"

Twilight hung her head and let out a heavy sigh. "No, she didn't. I think I got a little carried away."

When it came to her curiosity, Spike had little difficulty imagining Twilight getting overly excited with her questions. "Carried away? How so?"

"Well, first, I asked her about her origins, but she didn't tell me. Then I tried to ask her why bad things happen to good ponies, but she didn't answer that either. I wanted to ask more, but she sent me back here so she could speak with somepony."

For several seconds, Spike stared up at Twilight. "Princess Celestia made you go home after you traveled all the way to Canterlot so she could speak with somepony?" He scanned in his mind the possible ponies that the princess could have met with after her. Drawing a blank, Spike flatly asked, "Who?"

Just as flatly, Twilight replied, "I don't know. She didn't say."

In his effort to console her, Spike patted his low-spirited unicorn friend on the back. "Aw, well, I'm sorry things didn't turn out the way you wanted. Maybe next time?"

Waves of disappointment streamed through Twilight's thoughts. _Next time_. _Why couldn't it have been _this_ time?_ "Yeah, she said she 'admired my determination,' so I guess that means she's overall pleased with me."

Having lived with Twilight for some time, Spike could detect whenever she held back her true personal feelings. "Something tells me you're not satisfied with that."

Twilight stamped her front hooves and clenched her teeth. "No, I'm not! It's just- Princess Celestia is responsible for _everything_ in our world, yet there is so much we don't know. Why can't she tell me? I don't think asking about where she came from is that big a deal."

As much as Spike loved Twilight, he hated seeing her mope. _Rarity is cuter when she pouts._ "Well, maybe it is a big deal for her. Some ponies don't like talking about their pasts. Take me for example. I didn't exactly grow up in the traditional dragon lifestyle. Whenever I meet other dragons I usually hope the subject doesn't come up. It's not that I'm ashamed, because I'm not. I'm proud to live here in Ponyville with you as your assistant. But I just rather not go into it all. Does that make sense?"

For being such a young dragon, Spike could offer perspective like no other. Twilight smiled as she brought him in for a hug. "You're an amazing little guy, you know that right?"

Spike squeezed back. "Aw c'mon, let me make you something to eat. Put your hooves up and relax."

The two trotted into the kitchen. Twilight plopped herself at the table while Spike prepared her favorite flower sandwich. As she waited, a little thought crept into Twilight's mind. _Princess Celestia had to meet somepony. She had to meet this somepony right in the middle of our visit. It could not have been a scheduled guest, otherwise why would she have let me travel all that way to Canterlot? It was almost as if she cut our meeting short _because_ of my questions_. _Who in the world would she need to talk to?_

An unanswered question can morph from a mild and nagging feeling to an outbreak of anxiety. _Maybe this is some kind of test for me. Does the princess want me to figure this out, like it's some kind of riddle? She didn't seem to set me up for one. Or perhaps that's because I'm such an advanced student that she expects me to know when she's putting me to the test._

"Hey Twilight, we're out of wheat bread, so I hope whole grain is alright with you." Spike didn't look around as he was laying out the bread on the counter. When no reply came to him, he turned and saw Twilight gaping out the kitchen window with intense focus. He rolled his eyes whispered, "Looks like whole grain will be just fine."

_Was it some high officials from Saddle Arabia? No. The castle would have been closed if it were to host any special guests of honor. _

Spike placed the finished flower sandwich in front of her. He sat across the table with a tiny bowl of gems he had fixed for himself. "Are you alright?"

Twilight acted as if he hadn't asked anything. "Spike, do you think the princess is hiding something from me?"

The question caught him off guard. "The princess doesn't have a habit of keeping things from you, but you think she is this time?"

"Well, I have a theory. But, listen," she leaned over the table to get closer, "this is something you cannot tell anyone. Do you understand?"

The combined gravity and secrecy of Twilight's theory jumpstarted his little dragon heart rate. "Yes! My lips are sealed."

Even though she was in her own home, Twilight checked around the room to make sure no pony was around. She lowered her voice. "I'm beginning to think that maybe Princess Celestia is not the highest authority in Equestria."

Spike's eyes widened as far as they could as his mind flurried over the idea. "What? How can you say that?"

Twilight dropped her head onto the table in defeat. "I don't know! I have no evidence, just a feeling."

Accepting the premise of her wild theory, Spike tried to rationalize. "So, wait, what about Princess Luna? Do you think _she_ is?"

With her face still flat on the table, Twilight shook her head. "No, not her either."

Spike wanted to guess more, but no realistic alternatives came to mind. There were only so many ponies who could even be considered to have more authority than Celestia. He looked up at Twilight, "Then who?"

After the weight of her own head put enough pressure on her face, Twilight lifted her head and sat up in her chair. Her defeatist expression remained. "I just don't know, but the fact that she wouldn't answer my questions makes me suspicious."

Neither of them spoke for a while. Spike thought quietly in his chair. He didn't even know where to begin thinking. "Twilight, what you're saying is pretty radical."

She nodded as if she had already realized the implications of her idea. "I know, but living in Ponyville has taught me a lot about trusting my feelings."

Spike scratched his head. "So what are you going to do?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "The princess told me that we would talk more when she returned from her meeting. So I guess that means I'm going back to Canterlot. This next trip, however, won't be in vein. This time, I'm going to make sure that I get some answers. It never hurts to ask, right?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Words failed to come to Princess Celestia. _Any questions?_ She stood frozen in the dimensional limbo. From the looks of the situation, she was the only thing standing between Equestria and its total ruin. For the first time in centuries, fear had overtaken the princess's heart. Uncertainty of this magnitude would have already broken most ponies. Through sheer determination and will power, Celestia compartmentalized the horrors before her. She would defend Equestria if was the last deed she ever did.

Nightmare Moon was overjoyed in how the one responsible for her banishment to the moon seemed to tremble. "Really, Celestia. You look like you've seen ghost. My plan is not that complicated."

There was one particular part of the "plan" that caught Celestia's attention. "But, why? Why do you need Twilight Sparkle?"

The dark beauty of her misty mane flowed as the wicked mare spoke. "I've already told you. I could use a pony like her by my side. Besides, she didn't seem very satisfied with your pitiful answers in your last meeting with her. She deserves better."

A frightening bewilderment struck Celestia. _How could she possibly know about that meeting?! _As if the disposal of Fausticorn wasn't enough, Nightmare Moon somehow kept defying the impossible. True dark magic was now at work, for there could have been no other way for her to have known about that conversation prior to Celestia's leaving to see Fausticorn. "But, how could you have known about that?"

Nightmare Moon reveled in Celestia's utter confusion. "That's for me to know, and for you to find out."

Every part of the scheme might have been known, but something did not sit well with the princess. "But it doesn't make sense. Based on what you've done to Fausticorn, you already have the power to do anything you desire. Twilight's magic is nothing compared to yours."

A gnarly smile flashed across Nightmare Moon's face. "True words, yes. But I have special plans for your precious student. After what she did to me before, it's time for a little payback. At first I thought of nothing more than destroying her on sight, but then I thought of what a waste of talent that would be. Talent that _I_ could use."

"Use for what?" However impressive Twilight was with her studies, she was still just a student. Her potential had not yet been fully realized and she had much more maturation to go through.

"For my amusement, of course! Sheesh, you really are quite dense. How you co-rule over Equestia is something I will never understand."

Nightmare Moon's condescension had little impact on Celestia. Her thoughts centered on the safety of her subjects, and most immediately the safety of her faithful student. "You can't possibly be serious."

Celestia's disbelief only enticed Nightmare Moon, as if she were accepting a rare challenge. "Oh, I'm afraid I'm quite serious about this. I've thought long and hard over how to exact my revenge."

She did not know if the words she spoke could be true, but in order to keep her sanity Celestia forced herself to believe what she said next. "Twilight and her friends stopped you before. They will do it again."

Nightmare Moon's patience wore thinner by the moment. "You've completely wasted her time forcing her to study the so-called 'magic of friendship' or whatever. While it may have been enough to defeat me once, this time it won't be."

Some ponies might have accused Celestia of believing in false hope, but desperation can promote either courage or despair. The princess mandated her mind and spirit to choose the former. "No matter how powerful you've become, you will never succeed. You underestimate my faithful student at your own peril."

Nightmare Moon snapped. "Enough of this! We're done talking. We're going back to Canterlot, and you will do as I say and summon Twilight to the castle, now!"

Whereas Celestia had to enter deep concentration with her magic to open a portal into Fausticorn's realm, Nightmare Moon wasted no time ripping open a gateway. The wicked mare's mist gathered in front of the two Pegasus-Unicorns and burned like acid into the atmosphere. When the opening reached a large enough size, Nightmare Moon glared at Celestia ordering her to march into it. The princess took a deep breath before pressing onward. _I've done all that I could to stall this monster. _Once her entire body passed through, Celestia felt the hardness of her royal chamber's marble floor beneath her.

For a brief moment Celestia took in the calmness of her chamber. She was once again in the land where she made the rules. No longer was she just another pony. As comforting as this was for her, the feeling was short-lived when the dark mist deluged into her quarters. The portal shrank as Nightmare Moon solidified herself. Once she was fully formed, the portal was gone.

Nightmare Moon eyed her surroundings. "I must say, Celestia, for being such a stiff, you do know how to live in luxury."

Powerless to stop this intrusion, Celestia watched her former sister size up the chamber. There was no spell or royal guard that could vanquish her, so the princess had no choice but stand still and obey. "We are back in Canterlot. Now what do we do?"

Nightmare Moon shot her a dirty look. "You're serious? You're _serious_? Celestia, I've already explained. This is the part where you summon your precious little student to the castle where I'll make her mine. Call on one of your guards and order for her presence."

"But what abou-"

"Now!"

Celestia, not used to taking orders, wheeled around and headed out the door of her chamber. The two royal guards on the outside had not budged from their post. In a moment of dark irony, the princess remembered the last words she spoke to the guards before departing from Equestia, _"Please make sure no pony under any circumstance enters through this door."_

The princess shook off the past as she emerged through the door. "Thank you guards, you are relieved from your post here. However, I have another request."

The guards jumped to attention. "What is it your highness?"

"I need one of you to send a summons for the unicorn Twilight Sparkle in Ponyville."

One of the guards looked confused. "Your majesty, she was here earlier today, wasn't she?"

There was a flood of information that Celestia wanted to release, but she couldn't risk Nightmare Moon eavesdropping. Instead, the princess maintained a measured tone. "Yes, but I'm in need of her once more. Please do this."

"As you command, princess." With that, the two guards galloped down the hall until they turned a corner.

Once they were out of sight, Celestia heard the sound of a slow trot creeping from behind. She found it odd for Nightmare Moon not to wreak havoc right out the gate. "Why did you keep yourself hidden?"

The wicked mare brushed up against Celestia, briefly disrupting her equilibrium. "Oh don't worry. Everypony is going to know about me soon enough. I promise."

Regaining her balance, Celestia knew the journey from Ponyville would take Twilight some time. "What are you going to do while we wait?"

"That's easy," Nightmare Moon began dissolving into her mist form, "I'm going to go have a bit of fun around the castle. Bring Twilight Sparkle to the throne room when she returns. Just you wait until you see what she can do after she becomes _my _faithful student. And if you try anything funny, you'll being joining Fausticorn faster than you can say 'Winter Wrap Up'. Au revoir, my little pony!"

Before Celestia could respond, the dark mist floated down the hallway, leaving the princess alone for the first time since before she entered Fausticorn's realm. Thinking of the impending terror that awaited Equestria, Celestia quietly wept.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Goodnight Spike, I'll see you in the morning," Twilight said as she turned out the light in her bedroom. She rested her head on her pillow gazing up at the ceiling wondering about the identity of the mystery pony. _Perhaps that pony's involved in all of this?_

"Goodnight Twilight, I'm going to get a glass of milk, then I'm gonna turn in." Spike said while preparing his own bed.

"Alright, just remember to turn out the light." Twilight closed her eyes.

After a long night of endless hypothesizing and guessing games, Spike and Twilight conjured up a grand total of zero for the number of pony candidates who the princess could have met with after Twilight. At one point Spike suggested that Celestia didn't even really meet with anypony; she just wanted to ditch Twilight after all her incessant questions. Twilight, as chance would have it, was not amused in the slightest by this idea.

Downstairs, Spike opened the door of the refrigerator and took the carton of milk. Out of routine, he checked the side of it for the expiration date. _Still fresh_. After pouring himself a glass, the little jar where he kept a stash of gems caught his eye. Mere seconds after staring at the jar, his stomach growled. _I really shouldn't_. Throughout his and Twilight's fruitless research, Spike consumed gems as a source of comfort food. He knew that he couldn't sleep if he was hungry either. _Okay, just a few_. He set the glass of milk down and dug his little dragon claw inside, grabbing a wad of glimmering gems.

Just then, it happened. With no warning whatsoever, Spike felt the taste of the gems coming back up into his mouth. A violent storm began raging in his stomach. He dropped the gems onto the floor as he clasped his sides. _Not again!_ The flavor of gems quickly turned into the tang of fire. Helpless to control himself, Spike released a blazing belch. From the fire emerged a parchment scroll emblazoned with the Royal Canterlot seal.

He felt lightheaded for a moment. After two shakes of the head and a few slaps on the face, Spike saw the scroll on the floor. _A letter from the princess!_ He leapt over the spilled gems and picked up the scroll. For a split-second, he debated whether or not to deliver the letter to Twilight right away, seeing how she had just gone to bed. That dilemma was swiftly resolved when he imagined what a rage-monster she'd become if she learned that she could have had the scroll earlier. When Twilight wanted answers, she wanted them immediately. _I better get this to her now._

Up the stairs he went. "Twilight, Twilight!"

Hearing the pitter-patter of Spike clamoring up the stairs, Twilight sat up in her bed. She had not yet fallen to sleep. The moment Spike came to the top she instantly recognized what he was carrying. Twilight dove out of her bed and met Spike halfway. Her horn glowed as she used her magic to unravel the scroll.

The message itself was as suspicious as it was short:

"Dear Twilight Sparkle, you have been summoned by Princess Celestia to come to the Royal Castle. Please come as soon as possible."

Twilight already was shaking her head. "Something's just not right, Spike." She rolled the scroll back up with her magic. "The princess is definitely hiding something. She's never called me to the castle twice in one day, let alone at this hour. And usually she includes some kind of reason for summoning me. Not this one."

"What are you going to do?" Spike asked.

"_We_ are going to Canterlot."

"We?" Spike started to inch backwards.

"Yes, Spike, I need you. I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I want you by my side just in case."

After a moment of inner-reflection, Spike knew he had to live up to his Dragon Code and be by Twilight's side as her number one assistant. "Alright, I'm with you."

Twilight threw her hooves around him. "Thanks." When she released him, she said, "C'mon let's go."

"We're going _now_?" Dragon Code or not, it all seemed so sudden to Spike.

Twilight was already halfway down the stairs. "Yes! We can't just sit here when we're delivered a Royal Summons. Who knows? The princess could be in serious trouble. Plus, we can find out about that mystery pony!"

Seeing no way to win the argument, Spike nodded and followed after her. "Alright then, let's do this."

* * *

Back in Canterlot, the two royal guards that Celestia sent to order the summons for Twilight trotted back from the completion of their task.

"We should report back to the princess," said the taller guard.

The shorter guard hesitated as he was lost in thought. The taller guard noticed his colleague was staring off into space, so he waved his hoof in his face.

"What? Oh, sorry. Yes, we should."

The taller guard eyed his partner with curiosity. "Something on your mind?"

"Was it just me, or did the princess seem kind of desperate back there?"

Princess Celestia was many things, but desperation was seldom attributed to her character or behavior. The question startled the taller guard. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I can't really put my hoof on it. I mean she looked like she was holding back something."

"I didn't notice anything. You've been working too much lately. Why not put in a request for some time off?"

"Yeah, maybe."

While the two guards were talking, a dark mist gathered in the corner. _This should be fun_. Without a single sound, the mist breezed through the hallway until it hovered above the guards. A portion of the mist branched off, creating a string-like shape. The guards below were completely oblivious all the while. Like a whip, Nightmare Moon snapped the string of mist. Instead of the crack noise happening from above, however, the sound was thrown and heard down the hall.

The taller guard instantly redirected his attention to where the sound came. "What was that?"

The shorter guard wanted to speak, but he found that he couldn't. In fact, he was alarmed when he realized he couldn't even open his mouth. An icy numbness grew from the bottom of his hooves. That iciness silently crawled up his legs and into his main body, and soon rose to the top of his head. As it was happening, the guard wanted to scream to his partner for help, but his body and mind were somehow disconnected. The taller guard was too focused on the unknown noise to notice what was happening.

Then, with no control whatsoever of his own body, the shorter guard spoke. "I didn't hear anything. Your ears are just so honking huge that you probably heard somepony cough in Ponyville."

"Excuse me?" The taller guard's face flushed red as he tucked in his ears. Even as a member of the Royal Canterlot Guard, arguably the most efficient military personnel in Equestria, the right mix of unkind words hitting just the right nerve can flesh out anypony's deepest insecurities.

In his mind, the shorter guard was screaming to apologize. Yet, he dug further. "What's a matta? Can't hear me with those jumbo ears?"

"Stop that!" The taller guard reared on his hind legs. Embarrassment can erupt into anger in an instant.

"Make me!"

"Maybe I will!"

And that's when the first punch was delivered. The taller guard socked his partner square in the jaw. No matter how disciplined a pony becomes in life, everypony has a breaking point. Emotions can override all logic and reason when provoked enough. Even though he was not in control of his body, the shorter guard felt the pain of each strike he was dealt. On some level, he found it more painful to see his own body fighting back. The more he punched and kicked in return, the more agony he felt in his heart. He went from following Princess Celestia's orders to emotionally and physically attacking his friend.

As the two guards brawled, Nightmare Moon had solidified herself down the hall. She watched and snickered to herself. _All too easy. These weak-minded fools have no idea what's in store for them._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_I am the co-ruler of Equestria. I am responsible for bringing forth the daylight. Equestria looks to me for its protection and guidance. How did it all come to this? Luna, where did we go wrong? I thought we put the bitterness behind us. Until now, you haven't shown any signs of resentment. Whatever darkness that swells in your heart has claimed your spirit permanently. I don't know if anything can save you this time._

Since Celestia was alone, the time to act was now. There was only one problem. The princess was powerless to stop Nightmare Moon. Truly, over the course of Celestia's long life, she had seen some magical and inexplicable events, but nothing like this. Not even close. _Perhaps I can round up as many ponies as I can and take them into hiding? Is that an option?_ Celestia dropped that way of thinking quickly when she realized there would be no place to run or hide from Nightmare Moon. For as powerful as she had become, she could find any and all who tried to flee from her clutches.

Celestia confronted the bleak truth. _I don't there anything I can do._

The princess returned to her private chamber where she had opened the portal. Feeling drained both emotionally and physically, she took a seat. It was not until she sat down when she realized just how tired she was. Even the weight of her crown and necklace-style sash felt too burdensome to wear. Celestia lifted the crown off her head and held it out in front of her, staring at it.

"I'm no longer worthy," Celestia said to herself.

She tossed the crown on the ground in front of her. It wobbled briefly before resting in place with its purple jewel facing her. Then Celestia untied her necklace and pitched it next to her crown. The longer she looked into the crown's jewel, the more Celestia felt a strange warmness within her. Such warmness put her at peace. Considering the circumstances, being at peace should have been the last thing she felt.

And then it happened.

The candles in her room flickered out, leaving her in the dark. Celestia jumped to her hooves. She felt dizziness from getting up too quickly. Her heart trembled fearing Nightmare Moon had returned from terrorizing the castle.

In an instant, the light was restored. This time, however, the light returned brighter than before. Strangely enough, the candles remained out.

Then there was a big flash. Celestia shielded her eyes from the blinding light. Despite the discomfort to her eyes, the tiredness in her body disappeared as she felt a renewal in her strength. Although she could not yet see, Celestia heard a heartfelt voice.

"Hello, my little pony," said Fausticorn.

The light simmered down to a glow and Celestia's eyes broadened widely. Impossible. _Can it be?_ The Divine Pegasus Unicorn floated in the middle of the room. Slowly, she touched down on the floor. Her wings extended out as they glistened with a pure white shine.

Out of reflex, Celestia genuflected in her presence. When she picked herself back up, she could not even begin to guess how this was possible. All she could muster was "But, how?"

Fausticorn folded her wings back in and laughed gently, "Surprised to see me?"

Celestia nodded. For a moment she thought she was looking at a ghost since she witnessed with her own eyes Fausticorn getting swallowed up by dark mist. Yet here she was, looking as alive as ever.

Fausticorn was quick to move the conversation along. "Do you remember me giving you a look, moments before Nightmare Moon destroyed me?"

For the rest of her life, Celestia knew she would never be able to erase that look from her memory. Again, too awestruck to speak, she nodded.

Fausticorn narrowed her question. "What message do you think I tried to convey to you in that final look?"

At last, Celestia found her voice. "I felt like you were trying to tell me to be strong."

Fausticorn smiled. "Precisely."

The two Pegasus Unicorns stared at each other, with Celestia gaping. Even though they were talking, she knew that they shouldn't be. Whatever the explanation was, Celestia didn't want to squander the moment. "How is this possible? I saw Nightmare Mo-"

Fausticorn cut her off. "Where is Twilight Sparkle?"

Celestia was caught off guard. "I'm sorry?"

There was no concern or any other emotion in Fausticorn's voice. She spoke very matter-of-fact like. "Twilight Sparkle. Is she coming?"

"I, yes, I ordered a summons for her to come as soon as possible. Bu-"

Fausticorn's attitude went grave. "When Twilight Sparkle comes, tell her your true origin story."

The princess did a double take and shook her head. "What? But that would mean…"

Fausticorn's face hardened. "Do it."

Celestia failed to see the reasoning behind the command. "But I don't understand. How are you here?"

Her question was ignored. "Tell Twilight Sparkle about your origin," Fausticorn's expression softened. "Please."

Celestia didn't answer right away. No mortal pony has ever been told the truth before. Fausticorn always forbade her and Luna from ever disclosing their origins. Even earlier during her visit, Fausticorn reminded her to not reveal the true story. Yet, here she was, asking her now to tell all to Twilight. Under normal circumstance she would have asked why she now could abandon withholding such top-secret information. The current circumstances, however, were anything but normal. Considering everything she had been through, Celestia decided it best not to argue. "Yes, I will."

Fausticorn stooped her head in a thankful gesture. Then she turned to the discarded regalia on the floor. "Celestia, please put those back on. I designed them only for you."

A minor twinge of guilt came over the princess. She never imagined, let alone intended, the most important pony of all time to see her without her royal apparel. Her face reddened as she used her horn magic to retrieve her garments.

When the necklace tied around her neck, and the crown fitted firmly on her head, Celestia looked to Fausticorn searching for approval. Sure enough, Fausticorn gave her a warm smile and a wink. In her next breath, she said, "Time for me to go."

This threw Celestia into another tail spin. The peaceful warmness within the princess began to slowly deplete from her body. "What? Why? No, wait! Please, don't go!"

Fausticorn's face turned dark and her voice went shrill "Go? Why, I'm not going anywhere!" The glow that radiated now dimmed into nothingness. Fausticorn's body blacked and the hair on her body morphed into a familiar icy mist. In a horrifying metamorphosis, the Divine Pegasus Unicorn twisted and contorted into the wicked mare of darkness.

Celestia recoiled in shock so much so that she tripped over herself, falling to the ground. Her mind went into an outbreak. _Was it her all this time?! _She wouldn't put it past Nightmare Moon to use deception as a means to break her spirit. Everything about Fausticorn from her appearance to her voice screamed concrete realism.

Nightmare Moon let out a fiendish laugh. "You're too easy, Celestia! Really, I wasn't even trying that time. How could you let yourself be fooled by a simple fraud spell? I would say that I'm disappointed, but who am I kidding? To see that look on your face is worth dying for a thousand times over. Maybe more."

Tears welled up in Celestia's eyes. _Everything felt so real_. "But, why?"

"I've told you, for fun!" Nightmare Moon jumped in a Pinkie Pie-esque manner. Even the wicked could be capable of giddy excitement. "And trust me, when Twilight Sparkle gets here, that's when the fun will really get started. Speaking of your egghead student, she should be here any minute. Let's go and ready ourselves for her arrival, shall we?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"We're almost there, Spike," Twilight said while leaning over the edge of her hot-air balloon's basket. The young unicorn and her dragon assistant floated to their final approach to the Canterlot loading zone. Spike did not reply, for he had fallen asleep shortly after their journey began. Leaving in the middle of the night for Canterlot was not a regular occurrence for him. He wanted to ensure that nothing was wrong in Canterlot as much as Twilight, but he didn't have her stamina and drive to carry him through the night. Before nodding off to sleep, he tried to guess the secret to Twilight's energy. _Must be a unicorn thing_.

Twilight concentrated so much on the task and the potential dangers ahead that she hadn't noticed Spike falling asleep. She could have gotten mad at him quite easily, but in this situation she was so grateful for his being with her that she didn't care. In times like this Twilight desperately wished she had her Ponyville friends by her side. Unfortunately, there was no way she could have rounded them all up from where they lived _and_ get to Canterlot in time. Plus, given the hour of night she received Celestia's summons, she would have had to awaken them. If everything turned out to be a false alarm, she would have felt like a real heel for dragging them across Equestria over nothing.

As the balloon carefully made its descent, Twilight sensed a strange calmness from Canterlot. Even though it was nighttime, some modicum of activity could always be visible from above. Unlike most places in Equestria, Canterlot was a city that never slept. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more Twilight realized that daybreak was supposed to be happening soon. Yet, the night sky showed no signs of melting away into daylight. _That's odd. _Twilight's stomach knotted up from the ever-increasing uncertainty of the situation.

Normally a Canterlot security official would be there to take record of her arrival, but no such official waited for her. Instead, when her balloon touched down she leaned over the edge to scan the loading zone for any signs of life.

Nothing.

Her suspicions catapulted into a state of alarm. _Something is seriously wrong._

Twilight turned around and shook Spike. "Hey, wake up! We're here now."

The little dragon slumbered through her shaking. "Please, Spike, I need you."

Hearing that last phrase kindled Spike's inner "number-one-assistant" spirit. He woke up and leapt to his feet. "I'm here for you, Twilight. What do we do first?"

Such a brilliant question he asked. One to which she did not have an answer. Twilight's eyes dropped to the floor of the balloon, almost as if in defeat. "To be honest, I'm not sure. This place is so empty it gives me the creeps. It's like a ghost town."

"Are you serious?" Spike lurched over the basket's edge and saw emptiness. Having been born in Canterlot, he didn't even recognize it from the barrenness. Now his level of alertness matched Twilight's. He slinked back down inside the basket and started to pace. "The princess sent you a summons, so maybe we should try and go see her?"

Seeing the princess was Twilight's top priority from the moment she saw Spike running up the stairs with Celestia's summons in his claws. Still, she would be a fool for not taking precautions with the way things were around the castle. "That makes sense, but I have a bad feeling about this place. We could be walking into a trap or something."

Spike was undeterred. "Well then, let's stick close together."

The young dragon's resolve touched Twilight. She smiled at him. "Yes, stay close to me."

Both Twilight and Spike hopped out of the balloon. Twilight used her magic to tie down the balloon from floating away. Together they ventured into the Canterlot grounds. Every so often, Twilight thought they were on the verge of running into somepony. Sadly, each time they heard a noise it turned out to be only the wind. Over the course of their search for ponies, the night sky continued to reign.

After failing to encounter any signs of life, Twilight feared the worst. There was only one way to rid herself of her worries. "You're right, Spike. We need to go see the princess. Let's go to her throne room. Maybe we'll find some answers there."

Spike jumped ahead to the worst case scenario. "What do we do if we don't find anything?"

Such a dreaded outcome was unfathomable to Twilight. "I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

The two were quite familiar with their way around Canterlot. The one advantage to not having any ponies around was quick access to the Royal Chamber where the princess dwelt. Under normal conditions there would be a series of security checks. After all, they don't just let anypony visit the princess. Sure enough, no such security was there to vet Twilight and Spike. In record breaking time, the two reached Celestia's throne room. Despite its convenience, not being vetted further proved how dire the situation was for Canterlot, or at this rate, Equestria.

Twilight kicked with her hind legs as hard as she could to open the chamber doors. Quietly perched on her throne was Celestia. The princess looked straight ahead at Twilight and Spike, as if she had been expecting them. Oddly enough, Celestia had tears streaking down her face. Her expression glowed upon seeing her faithful student and her assistant.

Twilight beamed. "Princess! Thank goodness you're alright!" She furiously galloped toward her mentor.

Although it would have been considered wildly unorthodox in some circles, Twilight threw her hooves around Celestia. The impact of Twilight hurling herself caught Celestia off guard, but in a welcoming way. Unbeknownst to the little purple unicorn, the princess was never happier to see her alive and safe. For how much longer was anypony's guess.

Twilight's mouth ran as fast as her mind. "Princess, what is going on? All of Canterlot is completely deserted. Spike and I received your letter and rushed over here as fast as we could. I've never seen the castle like this before. Why is it still night time? Have you forgotten to raise the sun? Is everything alright?"

Celestia silenced her student by raising her hoof. She looked into Twilight's eyes. They were so full of genuine concern. The question for the princess now was what to say to her pupil. At this point, for everything that has happened, Celestia felt in the pit of her stomach that now was the time for the truth. "Twilight, do you remember during our last meeting how I told you I had to go meet with somepony?"

Twilight said nothing. She nodded in silence. At this point, Spike caught up to them from the entrance of the room.

The princess continued. "Well, that's because you had asked me about my origins and the other 'big' questions in life. As you may have already guessed, those are delicate subjects and are almost never disclosed to anypony. Over my time in Equestria, I've had excellent students like you seek the answers to these questions. Unfortunately, they could not accept the fact that I wouldn't tell them anything. At first they would start with innocent questions, but inevitably they would pry and unsuccessfully needle information from me. Their search for answers later drove them to madness."

Over the years Twilight had heard of such ponies who allowed their inquisitiveness to ruin their lives. She made a promise to herself to never let herself get that way. Not having the answers was hard sometimes, but especially now with all the uncertainty facing them.

Celestia took a deep breath. "I'm happy to find that you haven't become one of these minds. Well, today I'm going to tell you everything."

Twilight's eye shot open. "Everything?"

"Yes, I just needed to get permission."

"_Permission?!_ From who?"

"From the one responsible for all things pony. It's time you learn about Fausticorn."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Fausticorn? Who is that?" Spike asked, taking the words right out of Twilight's mouth.

"She was the one who created me. And Equestria," said Celestia.

Twilight's and Spike's jaws dropped as their eyes widened. Here was the co-ruler of Equestria admitting to them the unthinkable. Twilight always wondered how she would react when she finally learned the truth behind Celestia's origins. Over the years and in recent times Twilight had come up with her own theories. Now, here she was, about to have her mind blown and then some.

Celestia turned to face her. "You see, my faithful student, my origins are tied to Equestria's. As hard as this might be to understand, there was only one pony responsible for all that you see in this realm."

"This _realm_?" Apparently those theories Twilight had were about to go flying out the window.

The princess continued her calm explanation, almost as if she had been rehearsing. "Yes, there are different realms out there. Equestria is just one of many. The one we are currently in was entirely created by Fausticorn. She was a Pegasus Unicorn, or Alicorn if you'd rather, like me and Luna. Unlike my sister and me, however, she was The Divine Pegasus Unicorn. What that means is the magic that you and I use, stemmed from her. Fausticorn resided in her own dimension separate from our own."

Twilight slowly grasped the idea of a Divine Pony. "I don't understand. If she's a pony, why didn't see live with us?"

"Good question. She didn't design Equestria to include herself because, as she once put it, she 'wouldn't fit'."

Spike had trouble processing that one. "Was she really large or something?"

For the first time in a great while, Celestia laughed. "No, dear Spike. Think of our history. Ponies believe that Luna and I are the ones responsible for all that you see. And for the most part, that is true. We do bring forth the day and night creating harmony across the land. However, we merely keep the train moving. We did not create the train."

The language Celestia spoke threw Twilight into a quick panic. "So then wait!" she squeaked. Sweat started to break from her forehead as she began reaching conclusions she didn't like. "Ponies have been lied to for all time? You and Princess Luna are _frauds_?" Saying it out loud was more uncomfortable than thinking it.

Celestia knew something like this was bound to come up. "Twilight Sparkle," the princess's tone dropped. "Please do not get upset. I understand this is a lot for you to take in hearing it for the first time." The princess peered over her student. "Ask yourself what it means to be a 'fraud'."

Like a kneejerk reaction, Twilight spat out a dictionary definition: "A pony who makes deceitful pretenses."

Celestia nodded her head in satisfaction. "Precisely. Luna and I have never once made any such pretenses. Our true origins have never been known to anypony. Instead of lying about them, we kept them secret. Don't you remember our last meeting? When you asked me where I came from, I didn't answer you."

Twilight thought back to that meeting. _She's right. Right when I asked, that's when she dismissed me back to Ponyville._ The more she thought about it, the more she realized how neither princess ever lied about anything._ Even Equestrian history books don't really attempt to explain anything about where the princesses came from. _

Celestia could see the dawning of realization on Twilight's face. "I know it's a technicality, but I promise you it's the truth. Try thinking of it like this, my faithful student. Luna and I are extensions of Fausticorn, as are you and Spike. In that sense, none of us are 'frauds' because we all came from the same source."

With that disorienting thought behind her, Twilight then brought to the surface another nagging question. "I notice we're talking about her in the past tense, yet you met with her yesterday?" The horrifying implication of her question began settling in each of them. Twilight gulped. "What happened?"

Celestia took a moment to admire her student's deduction ability. "You are a wonder, Twilight. Yes, something has happened." Neither Twilight, nor Spike, could say anything. Together they sensed that this was going to be the part where the conversation took a turn for the worse. Celestia turned to face the windows in her throne room. She stared at the night sky. "Do you notice how it is still dark?"

"Actually, I was going to ask you about that," Twilight said.

The princess released a deep sigh. The anticipation began to fester inside Twilight and Spike. Very few things in this world could ever cause Celestia to sigh in that manner. Nothing good could have possibly come out of her mouth. Sure enough, nothing did. "This is no coincidence, my little pony. My darkest fears have come true. The night sky is going to reign eternal from this point forward." Slowly she lowered and hung her head in shame. "Nightmare Moon is back."

They heard it. They processed it. They could not believe it. "What?!"

Celestia continued to hang her head. Tears began to form in her eyes. "I left our meeting, Twilight, because I sought the council of Fausticorn. She is the pony I met with after you. I wanted her advice on how to satisfy your inquires without disclosing the full truth. Many of my best students over the years have driven themselves to madness in their endless pursuit of answers. You are my best pupil and I didn't want to see you go down that road. Call me selfish, but you are too precious to me."

Now tears were welling up in Twilight's eyes. "Princess, I-"

Celestia didn't let her finish. "So I traveled to Fausticorn's realm. I met with her and we talked briefly, when all of a sudden we were met by Luna. She was herself, not Nightmare Moon, at least not yet. From the moment I saw her I thought there was something off from the way she carried herself. Right away she started speaking in a hostile tone and accusing me of being selfish. For whatever reason she kept bringing up how you were my student and not hers. Just as I realized that she was jealous, it happened. Everything was so fast, but right before my very eyes Luna transformed into Nightmare Moon."

Upon finished her sentence, Princess Celestia started to cry in front of Twilight and Spike. Throughout her story she tried to hold her composure, but reliving Luna's plunge into darkness was too much to take. Everypony has their limits, and losing her little sister again was Celestia's.

Twilight did not say anything. Tears streamed down her own face. She quietly trotted up to her mentor and leaned against her. Together they stood supporting each other. Spike did not know what to do, so he remained in place.

Eventually the two ponies broke away from each other. Twilight looked up at Celestia. "But what happened to Fausticorn?"

The princess took a deep breath. "Nightmare Moon vanquished Fausticorn."

At that moment, a most unwelcome voice pierced the air. "That's it, Celestia? You're just going to say that I 'vanquished' her? Oh please, you're leaving out so much!" Striking a dominant pose at the entrance of the throne room was the wicked mare of darkness herself with a wild grin. "You also failed to mention how you all are about to experience my everlasting glory!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Everything boiled down to this moment. Celestia could feel in her bones that this confrontation with Nightmare Moon would be the last one. What happened next was anypony's guess, but the princess knew she could pass on to the next life knowing that she finally told her faithful student the truth. Strangely, this fact brought her a sense of peace.

Spike hid underneath Twilight's front legs, clutching them in fear. Twilight stood frozen, unable to believe that Nightmare Moon was, in fact, standing before them with a promise to end their days in ruin.

The wicked mare methodically approached the trio at the throne. Her smugness matched her through-the-roof confidence. Feeling invincible can either inspire confidence or instill fear, depending on who owns that feeling. For Nightmare Moon, she had the latter effect.

Knowing that she was powerless to do anything, Celestia stepped forward anyway and shielded Twilight and Spike with her wings. She was not going to let harm come to them so long as she drew breath. This was it. The fate of all living things hinged on this point. After centuries of harmony, Equestria was about to be veiled in an infinite darkness. Every laugh, smile, and expression of love would become ancient history, and eventually fade into mere myth. These thoughts and worse flooded Celestia's mind as she watched her entire life as a princess flash before her eyes. She took a deep breath and said, "You're going to have to go through me if you want Equestria."

Nightmare Moon finally was within striking distance of the three. One by one, she eyed each of them as if she was looking into their souls. She first stared at Spike, whose weak knees made him clasp at Twilight's legs even harder. The dark mare then looked into Twilight's face; she could see fear, but also a hint of defiance. If the young unicorn didn't have absolute clarity that she was powerless to do anything, she would have tried to stop her. Finally, the wicked mare gazed into Celestia's eyes. There was a deep sadness, but also a prepared willingness to make a sacrifice.

No pony could have predicted what came next.

"You have nothing to fear, my little ponies," Nightmare Moon said. The voice that came out of her mouth did not have its aged witchcraft-like tone. Instead, it had more warmth.

Just then, the midnight blackness of the wicked mare's body faded away. The color vanished until it shined a bright white. Her raven wings lost their sharpness as they softened into a more angelic shape. Her misty mane and tail solidified into a playful crimson messiness. Most noticeably, the terror in her once green eyes melted into a healing shade of cerulean blue. Nightmare Moon's armor fell to the floor, where they disintegrated.

A light shone from where the magical mare stood. When the brightness died down, Celestia, Twilight, and Spike could see that Fausticorn indeed stood before them. They had no idea how to react.

The Divine Alicorn Spoke. "Hello, my little ponies. It's me. I promise."

Smiles appeared on Twilight's and Spike's faces. Celestia, however, had been duped enough times to not accept appearances at face value. There was no way to know whether or not this was another one of Nightmare Moon's deception tricks.

The Divine Pony picked up on Celestia's skepticism right away. She approached her creation slowly. "I know you've been through a lot, Celestia. I assure you that it's me this time and not Nightmare Moon."

Celestia did not relax her caution. "Prove it."

Fausticorn nodded "Fair enough." She closed her eyes and held her head high. Her horn glowed with its golden aura. Directly above them a special energy ripped open the air creating a dimensional portal. Out of the portal door emerged the most unexpected of ponies: Princess Luna.

When Luna touched down, Celestia couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Luna? How can this be? I saw you transform into Nightmare Moon in Fausticorn's realm!"

"I know, dear sister," Luna said. "I'm sorry for what you have been through."

Fausticorn stepped forward. "Allow me to explain, Celestia. This has been a test for you."

Celestia tilted her head. "A test?"

"Yes. You sought me out the same way Twilight Sparkle does to you. I saw that it was time for you to be challenged in a way that was unimaginable for you. I decided to draw out your deepest fear, which was losing Luna as your little sister."

Celestia and Luna shared a quick look at each other. Relief filled Celestia's heart as she saw Luna smiling at her.

Fausticorn continued, "I knew you were going to come to me, so I planned ahead and summoned Luna to my realm. I had her stay there while I created a dummy-Luna that would turn into Nightmare Moon."

"A 'dummy-Luna'?" Celestia could hardly swallow at the thought.

"Seeing her was quite the out-of-body experience," Luna said.

"Yes, it was quite a fun experiment." Fauticorn giggled. "And you know what else? When 'Nightmare Moon' turned into mist and swallowed me up, that was actually me the whole time.

_The whole time?_ Celestia thought she was going to have a heart-attack. Celestia could barely get her words right. "So, wait. When I saw you earlier, that was _you_ you? Not Nightmare Moon you?"

The Divine Mare nodded. "Mm-hm. That was me."

Celestia kept arriving at the same question. "But, why? Why did it have to be like this?"

Fausticorn inhaled slowly and smiled gently. "Celestia, I deliberately designed an imperfect world for you and your subjects to live. What you were going through was definitely not fun by any measure. In fact, I'm one hundred percent confident that you were downright miserable."

Celestia nodded in agreement.

"Take heart, however, because there is good news. While you may have been experiencing rock-bottom for some time, even though it might have seemed like it, by no means was it permanent. True suffering is a part of life. That means it is normal to suffer. It's not _fun_, but it's _normal_. Ponies everywhere can take comfort in knowing that suffering is normal."

No pony spoke. Each of them took a moment for reflection on these words. At last, Twilight broke her silence. "Just one question, Ms. Fausticorn?"

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle, what is it?" The Divine Pony welcomed the question.

"I was told there are other dimensions besides this one and your own. How many others exist?"

"There are quite a few strange worlds out there. I've heard of one in particular where creatures called 'humans' live. I've always wanted to see what they are like. From what I gather, they are an interesting species. I cannot help but wonder how they would react to ponies."

Spike, who had been trembling under Twilight's legs, had stepped forward scratching his head. "They're called 'humans'? That sounds weird."

"I'm sure they're nice," Twilight said.

With a mighty stretch of her wings, Fausticorn stood regally in front of her creations. "Go forth, my little ponies! Tomorrow is a new day to live, where you have the opportunity to learn! Mistakes will be made and heartache is inevitable, but so is laughter. So is friendship. So is love. Embrace the good and the bad of everyday and grow from it."

With that, Fausticorn vanished into the thin air. When she was truly gone, light from the sun broke onto the horizon.

Princess Celestia greeted the oncoming sunlight with joy. She turned to her faithful student, her assistant, and her little sister of the night. "Today is a new day to love."


End file.
